The Rams are playing a more fluid, attacking brand of football under Frank Lampard but issues remain which may rule out a top two bid.
It’s Christmas Day, the Championship season is perfectly poised at the halfway point, and Derby County fans are sure to look back on the first half of the campaign with smiles.
Frank Lampard’s first seven months in management have gone pretty well, with the Rams sitting fifth in the table on 39 points – four clear of seventh-placed Nottingham Forest – from 23 games.
The signs were promising from the off as Derby claimed impressive wins over Premier League sides Southampton and Wolverhampton Wanderers in pre-season.
But midway through the 2018-19 campaign, can we determine whether the East Midlanders have met expectations from before the first kickoff?
According to The Guardian’s fan-led 2018-19 Championship pre-season preview, Derby supporter Chris Litchfield said his team would do well should they clear the deadwood and let the young players shine.
As predicted, Lampard moved numerous players on, including Chris Martin and Cameron Jerome, and brought in a new batch of recruits, either permanently on loan, to freshen up the squad, with the Derby Telegraph detailing all summer transfers.
A side that played pragmatic – or dull, depending on your point of view – football has changed into a much more exciting outfit whose displays are much easier on the eye, while also delivering a healthy tally of points.
That said, Derby have suffered from inconsistency at times, with superb results like the 4-1 win at West Bromwich Albion offset by the hammerings by Leeds United and Aston Villa, plus some soft goals have been conceded over the course of the season.
Back to the Guardian preview, Chris predicted that Derby would finish second this season, but despite being much improved under Lampard and pleasing the fans, they still don’t quite look like the finished product.
Some fans seem to think so as well, taking to Twitter following their unimpressive 1-1 home draw with Bristol City and sharing their thoughts:
That said, it will be interesting to see what Lampard can do in the transfer window in terms of clearing out more deadwood and bringing in fresh legs – with a little more consistency, a playoff tilt should not be ruled out.
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